Explore every episode of the podcast Doctors at Work
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How to develop your leadership skills. With Nitin Shrotri. Episode 118
All of us are leaders and need to have good leadership skills. In this episode of Doctors at Work, Nitin and I reflect on how we learnt about leadership, the challenges we faced, and we discuss what good leadership looks like. Top tips include learning to manage yourself, knowing what success means to you personally, observing others, and asking for others' critical feedback. See transcript for meeting summary.
You might also like episode 98 on impostor syndrome, and Doctors at Work has multiple other podcast episodes on leadership.
Nitin Shrotri is a Consultant Urologist, who was awarded the BAUS Gold Medal for 2022, and has recently been appointed as Visiting Professor at the Institute of Medicine at the University of Bolton and also as Vice Chair at the Centre for Race Equality in Medicine. Before this he was BMA UK Council member between 2020-22 and a member of the GMC BME Forum last year. You can connect with Nitin on LinkedIn, on X and Insta (both @PeaPeaspot), and read his writings at nitinshrotri.com.
Great leadership at all levels is essential. In this episode of Doctors at Work, Fiona Day tells me that it start with knowing your own values and strengths, and consciously choosing the behaviours that you display. Much of what senior leaders do is highly complex, and this potentially can contribute to burnout - so regularly checking your own stress levels and proactively managing these is really important. We are all leaders, and leadership is an ongoing journey of learning, and she encourages us all to always have some leadership development in our personal learning plans.
Dr Fiona Day is the world’s only Leadership Coach with advanced coaching psychology, medical and public health qualifications (MBChB, FFPH, BPS Chartered Psychologist in Coaching Psychology, EMCC Master Practitioner Coach & Mentor) and is in a unique position to help medical leaders and their teams to flourish. She specialises in coaching medical and public health leaders, is an accredited Coach Supervisor and Coach Educator, and holds EMCC’s EQA Foundation Training Award. Get 3 hours of FREE CPD with Fiona’s ‘Health Career Success Programme’ here. Find out more www.fionadayconsulting.co.uk ; read her three recent peer-reviewed articles in BMJ leader here; and connect on @fionadayconsulting.bsky.social and https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionadayconsulting/
Michael Akadiri is a doctor and a comedian. In this episode of Doctors at Work, we talk about how he made career decisions that pivoted from full time surgery into mostly comedy. He tells me that managing uncertainty can be challenging, and this can be helped by focusing on what he can influence. We talk about the importance of recognising how a career fits into one's whole life, and the need to marry up your passion with realistic career prospects in the future. See transcript for meeting summary.
Charles is a core trainee, and recently won two prizes with different projects. In this episode of Doctors at Work, he tells me that great ideas often come from noticing an issue and doing something about it; but you need time and headspace. Great ideas can also come from consultant supervisors, but it's important to assess whether the project idea meets your needs. When you present, your enthusiasm and the quality of the presentation matters, and each poster or presentation should be tailored to your audience. Telling a story is a great way to get your message across. Projects often take over a year to come to fruition, so start early. Find others that can help, and aim not just for the next application cycle but maybe also for ones after that. And finally, if you can do a project that ticks multiple boxes at the same time, this will help your appraisals and career progression.
Charles Carey is a core surgical trainee working in the South East and pursuing a career in urology. He has completed multiple projects and has been able to present and win prizes for some of them. He enjoys contributing to medical research and education and hopes to fulfil these alongside his training going forward. Outside of medicine he enjoys playing and watching football, playing music and travelling. You can connect with him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-carey-sots/.
Steve and I discuss the parallels between high performance sport and the medical world. He tells me that high performance requires focus on the individual, the team, and the whole organisation. As doctors, we need to know ourselves well, including our strengths, identities, and how we deal with stress. Performance, whether operating, an on call, the ward round, or something else, requires preparation, and routine, including ensuring that we arrive in the optimum state. He shares a simple breath technique that helps us transition from one context to the next, and need not take more than a minute or so. We cannot just keep trying to go faster and faster, we need to refocus on human sustainability, and as leaders we need to look at both excellence and compassionate care.
Wellbeing Science Institute CEO and presenter, Steve Johnson, is a leading wellbeing expert. He is a qualified and registered psychologist. Steve consults with leading organisations including elite sport, defence, government and corporate sectors. He is the current Wellbeing Advisor to the National Rugby League (NRL) (AUS), the EPL (UK), the League Managers Association (LMA) (UK) and the Football Association (F.A.) (UK) Steve also developed the world’s first Elite Athlete Wellbeing Management qualification for people who work with elite athletes. The program currently runs in Australia and the UK. In addition to his extensive experience working as a performance psychologist and wellbeing advisor in the elite sport sector, Steve has spent over a decade working as a senior executive with leading global organisations across a range of sectors in Australia, UAE, Europe and the United States. Steve’s academic credentials include M.A. Management and B.A. M.Sc Psychology. He spent 7 years as a University Lecturer; was the course author of Australia’s first undergraduate sport psychology degree and was on the faculty at Harvard Medical School’s Post Graduate Leadership Program in Boston, USA.
About the Wellbeing Science Institute
The Wellbeing Science Institute is one of the worlds leading wellbeing organisations. The backbone of the Institute’s approach lies in their holistic, positive and developmental wellbeing perspective that is supported by evidence-based science. The Wellbeing Science Institute strongly believes that self-determination leads to higher levels of engagement motivation and higher quality wellbeing outcomes. Therefore, learning and capability transfer is central to everything they do.
We will all know that a certain department or hospital feels a specific way. But what is culture and how can it be changed? In this episode, Simon Fleming and I talk about culture, how it develops, and we discuss both good and bad aspects. Simon shares tips for changing culture, whether as a senior doctor or as someone early in their career.
Simon Fleming is an orthopaedic hand and wrist fellow, medical education Ph.D and culture change advocate, with an international reputation for his work. He is a founding and Executive board member of the International Orthopaedic Diversity Alliance (IODA). He also sits on the Executive board for the NIHR Clinical Education Incubator and is an Associate Editor for Medical Education, The Clinical Teacher and the British Journal of Surgery. He is a past-Vice Chair of the United Kingdom’s Academy of Medical Royal Colleges Trainee Doctors’ Group (ATDG) and past-President of the British Orthopaedic Trainees’ Association (BOTA). He is Clinical Advisor to the Methuselah Foundation, supporting the NASA Deep Space Food Challenge. He has delivered over 250 keynotes globally on his landmark work around diversity, inclusion, improving medical and surgical training as well as challenging toxic cultures. He works with individuals and organisations to transform healthcare education and culture, as well as how to start having those uncomfortable conversations.
In this episode, Ross and I talk about how to set yourself up for a satisfying career, and not be a medic zombie going through life without noticing what's going on. He talks about the importance of reflection, of actively setting up strategies to protect you from inevitable stresses, and of having quality connection with others. We discuss how important it is to notice what's going on, make conscious decision, and actively be aware of the choices that we have. And whilst planning for the future matters, this cannot be done at the expense of blindly sacrificing the present.
Ross, a recently qualified GP, is the visionary founder of Medizom, a resource dedicated to revitalising the spirit of doctors at every stage of their training. Medizom's mission is to offer hope and inspire doctors to REFLECT on their values, PROTECT against systemic threats and personal ego, and CONNECT with peers, mentors, and career coaches. With its tagline "Be more human, and find your own path," Medizom emphasises a holistic approach to medical careers through the principles of REFLECTION, PROTECTION and CONNECTION. Ross created Medizom.com after facing burnout during his work as a medical registrar in New Zealand, realising the urgent need for a supportive platform for healthcare professionals that flipped the tired out concept of burnout, instead introducing people to the idea of doctors becoming ‘medic zombies’ when exposed to ‘zombigenic’ environments, and offered solutions on how to be more human. Medizom offers online resources aimed at helping doctors navigate their careers with resilience and purpose. Ross's vision is to extend Medizom's impact beyond the digital space by delivering workshops at medical schools and conferences ‘IRL’, fostering face-to-face connections and inspiring the medical community.
As doctors many of us have things we wish to change, be it life balance, our exercise, or our work. Yet change itself is often difficult. In this episode, Michael and I discuss why change is so tricky, what holds us back, and how the beliefs that we have get in the way. He tells me that change is most certainly possible, and it is necessary to identify what you want to change, and why.
Dr. Michael Hersh is a Gastroenterologist, husband, father, podcaster, and physician coach at Better Physician Life Coaching. He coaches physicians on creating work-life balance, goal setting, stress management, reducing overwhelm, and feeling more present at home and less annoyed at work. His goal is to help physicians stop feeling trapped in medicine so that they can finally enjoy the life they worked so hard to build. He also co-hosted a podcast called Doctors Living Deliberately, highlighting physicians changing medicine by learning to live life with intention and purpose.
In this episode, I talk about coaching for performance. I draw upon the world of sport performance, and link to the world of medicine. I talk about the GROW model, and discuss how a coaching approach can help us perform better as doctors.
Andrew Kadar is an anaesthesiologist, and quite unexpectedly developed severe heart disease needing immediate open heart surgery. He has written a book, Getting Better, A Doctor’s Story of Resilience, Recovery, and Renewal, about his experiences where he discusses emotional, spiritual, and psychological foundations of getting better. Thegoal of the book is to help make the experience of a major illness easier for others and their loved ones. In this episode of Doctors at Work, we talk about the fact that as physicians, we struggle to be objective when it comes to our own health, and his tip is to ask what advice you would give to someone else if they had the same symptoms. Part of the issue also is our self image, for if we see ourselves as a healthy person who cares for others, it can be challenging to accept that you are the one in need of care. And I love his attitude for recovery, he suggests accepting what is, focusing on solutions, and asking so what do we need to do.
Dr Andrew Kadar is a physician at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, a Diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology, and a Fellow of the American Society of Anesthesiologists. He graduated from the Yale University School of Medicine and completed his residency at Stanford and Harvard Universities (Massachusetts General Hospital). He has served on the faculties of the UCLA School of Medicine, Charles Drew University, and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He has appeared on Good Morning America and NBC Nightly News, as well as Air Talk with Larry Mantle and The Dennis Prager Show. Dr. Kadar studied in the UCLA Writers’ Program and the Antioch University MFA writing program.
Jamie is a world champion obstacle racer. In this episode, he talks about his love of challenge, and we discuss the importance of having a mindset that welcomes challenges. He tells the that it's not possible to prepare for every race because they are all different, and we draw parallels to the world of medicine where all patient encounters are different - he tells me that he practices specific steps, which is also something that as doctors we can do in our own worlds. And he stresses the importance of prioritisation, having strict boundaries between different activities, and the importance of having clarity on what matters to you.
About Jamie: An athlete who thrives on pushing boundaries, both on the obstacle course and on the tatami. Ranked #1 in Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) and a former top-ranked Judoka, I proudly represent my country, showcasing resilience and proving that anything is possible. But my passion extends far beyond the thrill of competition. I'm a passionate speaker and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, using my platform to empower and inspire others. My story is one of overcoming adversity, and I share it with the hope of igniting a spark in others to chase their dreams, regardless of the challenges they face. My journey began with the Army Cadet Force, where I discovered a love for sports and the desire to represent something bigger than myself. Always on a pursuit of higher education, I completed a personal training qualification, an undergraduate and postgraduate degree, and most recently, I embarked on the challenging yet rewarding path of a doctoral program. Many years ago, I encountered the Parasport program, leading me to explore Powerlifting and athletics. Powerlifting provided a solid foundation for strength, while unforeseen complications from my amputation forced me to adapt. Judo re-entered my life, and I simultaneously discovered the world of OCR, conquering over 100 Tough Mudder courses. My dedication to this sport led me to create the international classification system for adaptive/para athletes, paving the way for greater inclusivity in the sport. On the international-level, I have created the classification criteria for para OCR and have spearheaded the movement towards an inclusive OCR environment for those with disabilities. Beyond the competitive arena, I find solace in music, weaving melodies on the piano, clarinet, saxophone, and guitar. My heart also lies in giving back, volunteering with youth charities and sharing my experiences to empower the next generation. Today, I'm constantly learning and growing. Studying for a doctorate has opened new avenues for intellectual exploration, and I'm constantly striving to be the best version of myself, both in and out of the academic and athletic spheres. My greatest motivation comes from connecting with others and seeing them reach their full potential. Whether it's through my athletic feats, motivational talks, or simply lending a helping hand, I believe in the power of community and shared experiences. Let's connect and embark on this journey together!
Find him at https://www.instagram.com/jamieganeadaptiveathlete/?hl=en https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-gane-75291859/
We all know that we are in the midst of a climate emergency, but what can we as doctors do? In this episode, Rammina tells me that at personal level, we can do what we can (it doesn't have to be perfect!) and share out stories to inspire others. As a profession we need to think differently, and aligning financial with patient-centred and environmental agendas is often very compatible; this is about practicing with the planet in mind. And she argues that the climate emergency is a healthcare emergency, and as doctors we need to also be aware of the wider political discussions because healthcare is already being affected by climate change.
Dr Rammina Yassaie is a Senior Lecturer in Leadership at the Centre for Leadership in Health and Social Care at Sheffield Hallam University. Prior to this, she worked as an NHS doctor for over a decade and is alumni of both the Yorkshire and Humber Future Leaders Programme and the FMLM NHS Regional Clinical Leadership Programme. She is an Associate Editor with BMJ Leader and the co-lead for Planetary Health and Climate action in the journal and curates the BMJ Leader Greener Leader blog series in light of her passion for leading for planetary health. She strongly believes in doing everything we can to ensure we have a safe and liveable future for all.
Shiv is an anaesthetics trainee, a clinical entrepreneur, and he co-founded the Portfolio clinic which is a peer mentoring social enterprise helping junior doctors' career development. In this episode, we talk about his own journey from the conveyor belt into autonomous career decision making. He tells me about the mindset needed to change challenges into opportunities, and shares his tips to help budding medical entrepreneurs succeed.
Shiv Sharma is an anaesthetics trainee, clinical entrepreneur, and co-founder of the portfolio clinic. You can connect with him on LinkedIn and find him at https://theportfolioclinic.com/.
If you liked this episode, you might also like episodes 60, 65 and 85 on portfolio careers, and episodes 23, 24, 38, 66, 70, 72, 81 and 85 on career decision making.
In this episode, Ibifunke tells me about some of the challenges faced by doctors moving to a new country. Extensive preparation to understand the new system and new ways of working is key. But doctors moving to a new country are not a homogenous group, and those welcoming them need to understand them as individuals with specific skills and experiences. There needs to be a mindset shift to seeing new starters (whether international or not) not as liabilities, but as an asset bringing a range of new experiences and ideas with them. Those of us welcoming new doctors should take responsibility for how we impact others, and organisations can also focus not just on up-skilling the IMG, but also on helping existing staff understand their unconscious biases.
Work is always busy, there is so much to do and little time. So why should we take the time to smile and ask others how they are doing? In this episode, Tom Wright tells me that smiling and socialisation need not take much time, it can be as simple as a nod with a welcoming face. In fact, aiming for small changes may be better than trying to organise a big event. The action of smiling is likely to not only make others feel better, it is also likely to put you in a better mood. This way we can create a different culture, filled with kindness, and overall better connections with others at work.
Tom Wright is a family physician, personal and team coach, wellbeing advocate, and adventurer. You can find him on LinkedIn.
What kind of a life do you want after retirement? What sorts of stories do you want to tell in your old age? What would your 90 year old self say to you today? Most of us will go through the retirement transition. This involves a psychological adjustment, and a change in identity. Denise tells me that the key is to spend time thinking about what it is that you want, and to plan ahead to help you thrive in retirement.
Denise Taylor is a chartered psychologist, with an MBA, and her doctorate (gained at 64) investigated retirement transitions. It’s not just about the qualifications, Denise is noted as being creative, visionary, and fun to work with. She loves to gather new information and resources to best serve her clients. She is a coach specialising in senior-level career transitions, mid-career reinvention, and retirement transitions. She loves the outdoors, wild camping, and bushcraft. You can find he at https://www.amazingpeople.co.uk/ and on LinkedIn.
You might also like episode 96 on planning your retirement.
Communication is a key skill for all doctors, and particularly those working within teams or in leadership roles. In this episode, Felicity Dwyer tells me about her top tips for great communication. Be a good listener, be flexible with your communication styles, and have self-awareness. We talk about what gets in the way of good communication, and how to adapt to each other so that we bring everyone into the conversations that we have.
Felicity Dwyer helps leaders, teams, and individuals to think deeply, communicate effectively, and generate an environment of trust and psychological safety.
Felicity is a CIPD-qualified trainer, an accredited Time to Think Facilitator, a Clean Language Facilitator, and an experienced executive and career coach.
Her book, Crafting Connection, has been described as “a must-read guide to communication and building better relationships.”
Frances is a maternity coach, and in this episode we discuss how to successfully navigate the maternity transition. Frances tells me that planning is key, before the maternity leave even starts. Becoming a mother is a transition, and everyone experiences it differently. There is no right way to return to work; planning ahead helps, as does a discussions about what the woman's career will be like on returning from maternity.
The Maternity Coach was founded by Frances Cushway, a licenced registered Career Coach who specialises in supporting women to return to work following maternity leave and continue to thrive in their careers. Frances has a Postgraduate certificate in Career and Talent Management and a degree in Psychology. She is a Registered Career Development Professional with the CDI where she was a finalist for Career Coach of the Year 2018, 2021 and 2022 for her work with mothers on maternity leave. The Maternity Coach offers a unique coaching experience that brings together the psychology of becoming a mother with the practicality of planning the return to work that is right for you and your family. The Maternity Coach's mission is to support mothers through maternity leave and their return to work; to help them rediscover who they are and what they want from their career after maternity leave and give them the courage and tools to return to work with confidence so they can continue to make their unique contribution to the world. www.thematernitycoach.com; uk.linkedin.com/in/francescushway; linkedin.com/company/the-maternity-coach; https://www.instagram.com/thematernitycoach/
We may not like to talk about money, but the reality is that it matters. In this episode, Hugh Massie and I discuss the role that money plays in doctors' careers. Doctors need to establish what their identity is, what legacy they want to leave, and how they want to be held to account. Money then becomes something that is a part of the whole, supporting the rest of one's work, rather than a source of stress or envy.
Hugh Massie is the Executive Chairman and Founder of DNA Behavior International – the Behavior and Money Insights Company. As a widely recognized Titan 100 CEO and Behavioral Solutions Architect, Hugh helps growth-minded leaders create an Exponential Future by developing a 109 (ten to the power of 9) Quantum Leap Growth Mindset and by building a plan for over 1 billion people impact. With that framework, he addresses every opportunity and challenge through a behavioral lens. Hugh’s purpose is to empower people worldwide to optimize their natural “hard-wired” talents and financial behaviors which drives quantum leap capacity, reduces stress, and enables greater happiness, more success, and improved health for longer. Further, Hugh empowers organizations and teams to build “category king” people-centered businesses, and in the process, enhance decision-making, culture, and performance. Applying the pioneering behavioral finance research Hugh has undertaken since 2001, his moonshot goal is to implement an AI-driven BeSci Tech Platform that by 2030 fully informs 1 billion people annually on how to enhance their decision-making and relationships for increasing life, financial and business longevity by 30 or more years. Hugh partners with clients to create an Exponential Future by developing trail-blazing financial behavior apps for building the “New BeFi Economy” impacting all key areas of life, finance and business.
Hugh has authored the following books and eBooks:
1. Leadership Behavior DNA – Discovering Natural Talents and Managing Differences
2. Financial DNA – Discovering Your Financial Personality for a Quality Life
3. Business DNA – Growing a People Centric Organizational Identity
4. Mastering Your Money Energy – Unleashing the Quantum Power of Money
Hugh hosts “Behaviorally Smart Identity Conversations” which is a podcast for which he has done circa 70 episodes in the past 2 years – they can be found on Youtube.
In this episode, Clare talks about her career and we particularly focus on her leadership roles. She tells me that as doctors we are all leaders, and often don't appreciate the skills that we actually have. Her leadership wasn't part of a big master plan, she worked hard as a front line GP, had her eyes open to identify problems, and then went on and did something about it. She advises others to work hard, say yes to opportunities, and always be kind.
Having first trained in psychiatry at the Maudsley hospital, Clare Gerada followed her father’s footsteps and became a general practitioner, working in her practice in South London for more than thirty four years. Over this time, alongside her clinical practice, she has held several national leadership positions including both the Chair and President of the Royal College of General Practitioners, only the second women in its history to hold both position. Clare has also set up and led, until 2021 the award winning service for doctors and dentists with mental health problems, NHS Practitioner Health. She has also set up and leads the Primary Care Gambling Service, a unique GP-led multidisciplinary service straddling the primary, secondary and third sectors. Clare was awarded an MBE in 2000 for her services to drug misuse and received a Dame hood in 2020 for services to mental health.
With Phil Hammond, Clare is appearing at the Edinburgh fringe in August 2024: Fifty minutes to save the NHS. Book tickets here.
In this episode, I am having a conversation with Dr Valerie Young who is a world thought leader on impostor syndrome. She tells me that impostor syndrome is about feeling that you are not as good as others, attributing your successes to external factors, and a pervasive fear of being found out. It is common in healthcare professionals, linked at least partially to the stakes being high, and our culture of criticising each other. Dealing with impostor syndrome requires recognition that it is common, and normalising it's presence. It requires reframing to a humble realist response where people have a realistic appraisal of their skills and a healthy response to feedback. And it requires separation of feelings of confidence from actual competence, they two are not the same, and thinking and acting competent is likely to come before one feels confident.
Dr. Valerie Young is widely recognized as the foremost thought leader on impostor syndrome. In addition to speaking at over 100 universities including Harvard, MIT, Yale medical school, and Oxford she’s spoken at such diverse organizations as Pfizer, Google, the National Cancer Institute, and NASA. Her award-winning book “The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: And Men, Why Capable People Suffer from Impostor Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It” has been published in 7 languages. And her advice has been cited in Time, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, Science, The New York Times, on the BBC, and elsewhere. In 2021 she co-founded the Impostor Syndrome Institute to bring solutions to organizations. You can learn more about Valerie’s work at ImpostorSyndrome.com
If you liked this episode you might also like episodes 19 and 69 on the inner critic.
In this episode, Professor Rebecca Jones and I discuss inclusive leadership. She tells me that inclusive leadership is about enabling everyone to contribute and be their authentic self. In order to generate the best team performance possible, inclusive leaders need to be focused on enabling everyone to contribute, and ask what this person brings rather than merely focused on how they fit in. Whilst it may be more difficult to display inclusive behaviours during times of stress, it is our own responsibility to educate ourselves, develop self insight, and have the curiosity and courage to include every team member.
Professor Rebecca J Jones PhD CPsychol is a Professor in Coaching and Behavioural Change at Henley Business School, a Chartered Psychologist and Co-Founder of Inclusive Leadership Company. Her research interests lie in examining the factors that influence coaching effectiveness and her consultancy practice focuses on working with organisations to create diverse and inclusive workplaces using coaching and psychological theory and research to achieve sustained behaviour change. Rebecca is the author of the book ‘Coaching with Research in Mind’, host of ‘Coaching@Henley’ podcast and has published her research in globally renowned journals.
In this episode, Nitin talks about his retirement. Whilst he has finished clinical work, he remains involved in professional aspects of medicine. He outlines the challenges of going from being a consultant to, as he puts it, nothing, and stresses the importance of people both peri and post-retirement.
If you enjoyed this episode you might also like episode 72 on retirement. Nitin's previous episode on supporting SAS doctors is episode 69.
Nitin Shrotri is a Consultant Urologist, who was awarded the BAUS Gold Medal for 2022, and has recently been appointed as Visiting Professor at the Institute of Medicine at the University of Bolton and also as Vice Chair at the Centre for Race Equality in Medicine. Before this he was BMA UK Council member between 2020-22 and a member of the GMC BME Forum last year. You can connect with Nitin on LinkedIn, and read his writings at nitinshrotri.com.
Tommy is a GP and the co-founder of Medics' Money (https://www.medicsmoney.co.uk/) . In this episode, we talk about portfolio careers. He tells me where the initial ideas for his business came from, and how even a weakness can become translated into a unique advantage. We discuss how to progress an idea, and what happens as the business grows. And we talk about how to balance the time and energy to work towards enjoying both the clinical career and the side venture.
Burnout affects many professionals in healthcare. In this episode, Ami Foster and I discuss how to spot when you are in the middle of it, and what can be done about it. Better than dealing with burnout would be prevention. We talk about how as doctors we are constantly on sympathetic system over-drive, but actually we need to invest in our wellbeing for the sake of the future including our own career success and longevity. The reality is that the world will always want more from us, so it is for us to put in some boundaries and strategies to help set us up for short-term and long-term success. It's not selfish to practice self-care, and you can be both patient focused and interested in your own wellbeing.
Ami Foster is a Board Certified Family Medicine Physician and a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. 20 years post-residency experience in patient centered medical care with a holistic approach including teaching Family Medicine residents, medical students, and PA and FNP within the clinical setting. By exposure to a wide variety of practices during my career, I have a unique understanding of the complexities and challenges of providing patient centered care, managing practices with cost containment and collaboration across the care continuum. Experience with ACO, value based care contracts, HCC coding, closing care gaps and working with care teams to promote quality patient care and cost containment across the care continuum. Physician advisor experience with Commercial, Medicare, Medicaid. MCG certified 2024. Experienced with Interqual guidelines. Utilization management experience: outpatient imaging procedures; Specialty Pharmacy-Medicare Advantage, Medicaid and Commercial; Medicare: inpatient concurrent reviews, prior authorization review, waivers and post acute care review including SNF, IRF and LTACH. Knowledge of Interqual, MCG and NCQA guidelines. Collaboration within physician and care teams and peer to peer interactions. I have a passion for facilitating physician wellness especially at the medical student and residency level of training! I am licensed to practice medicine in Texas, Colorado, Michigan and Hawaii. I am also a licensed real estate agent in Texas.
For many doctors a career in medicine seems like a conveyor belt, but increasingly people are willing to take stock and consider what it is that they want in their lives, and what kind of a career suits them. This may be decisions relating to specialties, locations, allied roles, leadership roles, or wholesale changes. In this episode, Giles Croft tells me about career decisions that he has made. We identify that slowing down matters, happiness is an inside job, and we create a six point plan for career transitions.
Giles is a psychology graduate and former NHS surgeon who stepped aside from clinical practice to seek happiness in a number of alternative career paths, including health informatics, cycling journalism, public speaking and high street retail with his wife. Ultimately he realised what we all know to be true — that happiness is indeed an ‘inside job’ — and since 2018 has been helping individuals and groups to rediscover their own ‘Innate Health’ as a speaker, coach and trainer. He has worked extensively with busy Health & Social Care staff, and his 6 week Reconnect Programme was recently found by the UK’s What Works Centre for Wellbeing, to be the most effective way to improve staff wellbeing and mental health, out of more than 200 different interventions across the UK. Giles writes a monthly wellbeing column in the South Wales-based Focus Magazine, runs a free monthly online meet-up called ‘Wellbeing Wednesdays’ and lives in Abergavenny with his wife and 10 year old daughter.
Leadership is a key quality that all doctors need to posses. But sometime it is challenging to lead in a way that sits comfortably with you, whilst accepting the external reality. In this podcast, Ross tells me that authentic leadership is about specifically choosing the best response for a situation, based on what matters to each person as an individual. We talk about values, psychological flexibility, and he shares his top tips.
Ross is an organisational and coaching psychologist. As a practitioner, he uses evidence-based psychology in all areas of his portfolio career. In his research role at City, University of London, he works alongside Dr Paul Flaxman in an academic/practitioner partnership where they design and deliver ACT Workplace Training for both the public and private sector. He also lectures in organisational psychology at City, University of London and Birkbeck. Nine years ago, he founded the start-up, People Soup, which aims to cultivate well-being, adaptability, meaningful action and awareness in organisations. He has designed and delivered evidence-based training to over 23 NHS Trusts, HM Treasury, Nectar Loyalty, teachers, a global tech company, a global drinks company, hedge fund managers and a variety of ballet companies and independent dancers. Prior to his portfolio career, he spent over 20 years in Senior HR roles in the UK Civil Service. He has a BSc (Hons) in psychology from the University of Dundee and Masters degrees in Human Resource Management and Organisational Psychology. He’s a Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD), the Association for Coaching and the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA). He's also the founder and host of the award winning People Soup Podcast - which aims to make behavioural science, accessible, useful and fun for adults at work.
As doctors our training focuses on clinical skills, yet sooner or later we all find ourselves in a position of being a team leader. In this episode, Declan tells me that leadership is a different set of skills, and one that can be learnt and developed. A mindset of listening, asking questions, and being open to try things is important, and modelling psychological safety through acknowledging uncertainties is key to creating an environment where others feel safe to belong and speak up. I love his idea that leadership is something that can move around the team depending on what is needed and what expertise team members have. Perhaps a key insight is noticing what's going on in the team, what it is that the team needs, and asking how things could be better.
If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like 87 how to become a senior medical leader, 86 how to become head of school of General Practice, and 59 how to create great teams.
Dr. Declan Woods is a ‘top team’ Psychologist and Professor of Leadership Practice at King's College London (KCL) who specialises in working with boards and leadership teams in international blue-chip corporations and public sector bodies. He has significant experience in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors and with the NHS. He is the founding CEO of teamGenie, an international venture specialising in designing, coaching, and developing teams with the mission of transforming organisations through teams (see teamgenie.com). Declan used his expertise and research on teams to create the award-winning diagnostic tool, teamSalient, to help teams radically improve their impact (see teamsalient.com). Declan is the world’s first team Master Coach accredited with the Association for Coaching (AC), and a Chartered and HCPC-registered Psychologist. Declan created the global industry standard for team coaching (see associationforcoaching.com/page/TCADetails) and previously co-authored and launched coaching’s global code of ethics (globalcodeofethics.org) signed by the world's leading coaching and mentoring bodies and companies. He was made a lifetime Fellow of the Association for Coaching (AC) for this work raising standards of coaching in organisations globally.
David noticed a problem, got an idea, and brought it to fruition. The result was a book featuring 100 different voices and aiming to improve doctors' wellbeing. In this episode, we talk about creativity - we all already are creative. It is important to notice to what excites and frustrates us, and to wake up and bring our whole selves to work. Great ideas might be sabotaged by fear of failure or worrying about what others think, but he advises that we cannot please everyone, and the attitude of trial and error is more important than aiming for perfect outcomes.
In the spring of 2003, David Tamale-Sali [surname pronounced: Tah Mah Lay Sah Lee] attended a surprisingly life-changing lecture, and then four months later found himself kicked out of Medical School at the start of resitting his third year. He then spent the next two decades off the beaten path, having experiences such as summarising patient Medical notes in a GP surgery, selling products on the high street for a Hollywood makeup artist, freelance copywriting, raising a family whilst on benefits, hosting a Franchising podcast, being blackmailed by his Dad into going back to medical school, getting kicked out of Medical school during Lockdown…all while continuing to encourage distressed and frustrated Medics from around the world via email, private forums and his blog at Okaydoctor.net. David is married with 7 kids, a writer/bass player, and an encourager of all who are ready to leave Medicine to enjoy a fulfilling and abundant life. You can get a free copy of his latest project, Medic S.O.S, by going to www.okaydoctor.net/sos
Being an early career doctor is a stressful time, and how medical work is structured may lead to few opportunities for support. Ollie Burton and I discuss that despite workload challenges, senior doctors can seek and create opportunities to support and train younger colleagues. This requires clinical leadership, and real understanding that training must be prioritises in order to develop future clinicians.
Ollie is presently (at time of interview) a clinical research fellow in neurosurgery with interests in simulation, education and workforce development. He runs a YouTube channel and blog to help give insight into training as a doctor, and to educate students and patients. You can find him at https://ollieburton.com/.
How do you get into leadership roles in medical education? In this episode, Komal Atta tells me that you need to be a good negotiator, open to change, and willing to experiment. We discuss how at the start of one's career it's good to have an overview of all different facets of education, but with seniority it better to become a real expert in one specific area. We talk about publishing in medical education, and discuss the importance of networking.
Dr Komal Atta is Director Medical Education at University Medical and Dental College the University of Fiasalabad, she also serves on many national and international medical education boards, is an Associate Fellow of AMEE , an active member of ASME , an ambassador for Diversity In Medical Academia (DIMA) and also Director Media Medical Women Association Pakistan. Her interests are around curriculum development, social media in MedEd, Equity , diversity and inclusion and Technology enhanced learning
Helen has had a range of senior leadership roles, and in this episode she tells me how to get into leadership, how to progress, and the skills needed to succeed. Many people will have great skills, but they don't put themselves forward, they wait to be asked, or they wait for the perfect opportunity. However, this means that they may struggle to have the impact that they want, and Helen's tip is to go for it, learn and develop, and don't be afraid to fail. She tells me that it's important to keep eyes open for exciting opportunities, and this also means having to create space by letting go of other things. Our careers are not linear, they evolve all the time, and every step opens up a myriad of new doors and opportunities. Getting to know yourself is key to good leadership, as is knowing the people around you, and picking the battles that you choose to fight. I love her mantra "don't just moan, do something".
Helen Stokes-Lampard, Professor of GP Education, is back at UoB following a three-year secondment (2020-23) as Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) through the Covid19 pandemic. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges is the national body that represents and coordinates the UKs 24 Royal Colleges, Colleges and Medical Faculties that in turn represent all the main medical specialities that award higher professional medical qualifications. AoMRC ensures that patients are safely and properly cared for by setting standards for the ways doctors are educated, trained and monitored throughout their careers. She sits on the Expert Panel which advises the national AI Frontier Taskforce and Chairs the Independent clinical oversight group for the GRAIL/Galleri study. Additionally Helen is a GP Principal in Lichfield, the founding Chair of the National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP), the founding Chair of the Dames Commander Society (DCS) and a Trustee of Macmillan Cancer. She was Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) 2016-2019 and has held many other national medical leadership positions. Helen was awarded a DBE for services to General Practice in the New Years Honours list January 2022. You can find out more at https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/staff/profiles/clinical-sciences/stokeslampard-helen and on her LinkedIn page.
In this episode, Manjiri tells me how she became Head of School. We talk about the importance of role models in career planning, and discuss how as doctors we often have a very narrow view of the skills that we have. We discuss how some people have a tendency to talk themselves out of going for roles, and of the importance of confronting the fear that we have and consider what are the worst and best things that can happen. Manjiri tells me how one opportunity often leads to another, and that's it's important to have a mindset that looks for opportunities, development, and growth.
How do you make career decisions? Our careers are never static, they change, we change, and the world around us changes. In this episode, Fiona Setch and I discuss our own career decisions, and identify the importance of doing moves that take you towards your desired future, rather than moves aimed at escaping the current challenges. The key to dealing with career dissatisfaction and critical incidents is then to identify what it is that you want, and to take your life and career in that direction. This might not mean large moves, sometimes small adjustments can help, as can conscious focus on what you enjoy about your current role.
Fiona Setch is a coach. You can find her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/fiona-setch-3540a0a/
If you liked this episode you might also enjoy episode 72 on career reinvention after 50, episode 70 in mid career reinvention, 66 on career decisions, 53 and 46 on life balance, episode 23 which contains my tips for making career decisions, and episode 38 and 9 that talk about career coaching.
Ellen Welch is a GP and a book author, and has had a variety of different roles in the past. In this episode we discuss portfolio careers. She outlines how she has reinvented herself multiple times, based on what she wanted and on how work fitted into the rest of her life. She outlines how being flexible is a real asset, even if flexible careers have both up and downsides. Making decent income from portfolio careers might not be easy, but as doctors we should always remember the value that we bring and the skills that we have. I love her can-do mindset, instead of moping about what is wrong, she has repeatedly gone out and made her desired future happen based on what she wants.
Ellen is an NHS GP and writer based in Cumbria. With 20 years clinical experience, she has pursued a variety of portfolio roles worldwide, including stints as a a ski field doctor in New Zealand, an expedition medic in Tanzania and a Cruise Ship Doctor and repatriation doctor around the world. She holds a BA in medical journalism and has pursued her interest in writing alongside her clinical career. She has written several books and has been published widely in both trade and National press. She has also appeared on TV and Radio in her previous role as co-chair for the Doctors’ Association UK. Her latest book “Why Can’t I See My GP: the past, present and future of General Practice” was released in February 2024. Find out more about her at https://linktr.ee/DrEllenWelch
You might also like Episode 81 on how to define career success, 77 on a career in General Practice, 66 on making career decisions, and 65 on portfolio careers.
Careers in medicine are rewarding, and at the same time full of stresses. In this episode, Matthew Fuller and I discuss how to manage challenging situations at work. Matthew tells me that it is important to distinguish emotions from facts, to recognise that emotions are data, and that it pays to step back and focus on what it is that you really want. Some challenges may not be easy to fix, but making a conscious choice on how to engage puts you in a powerful position going forwards.
Matthew Fuller is an ICF-accredited coach specialising in stress and anxiety. He knows firsthand what it's like to be immobilised by stress and anxiety. The emotions and beliefs we carry with us have a huge impact on our success, the success of our teams, and our happiness. That's why he works with people to explore their internal blocks, be they outdated beliefs, negative thought patterns, or unhelpful habits. He works with others as a travel partner, exploring their internal world through a blend of mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Coaching (CBC), and neuroscience to help them overcome the challenges in front of you. You can find him at www.matthewctfuller.com, on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/MatthewCTFuller/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/matthewctfuller.
Phil is a doctor and an Irish Olympian rower. In this episode, we discuss how his understanding of elite sport performance can help doctors at work. He describes a great analogy of his whole life / career being a four legged stool, and that whilst you might only be able to function on three, you cannot do so on two legs. I love the idea of always making choices about what is prioritised today, and always understanding that there are long term as well as short term goals. He tells me that pressure is important for learning, and that the key is to understand what the pressure is and how it helps you progress. And I love how he talks about the importance of having mental clarity instead of jumping into situations in the middle of an adrenaline rush.
If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like Episode 56 how to perform under pressure, 82 what doctors can learn from elite athletes, and 80 optimising mental performance.
Career success means different things to different people. However, as doctors we compare ourselves to each other, and when applying for jobs we are compared against other candidates. In this episode Jason, who is a PGY3 doctor, tells me about his experiences of defining career success. We talk about how comparison with others can be good, but it can also be problematic. His advice is to focus on learning, people, and the "why", as much as on external indicators of success.
Jason is a postgraduate year 3 doctor currently working as a medical education HMO in Melbourne. You can connect with him on LinkedIn, or on twitter @drjasoncottle.
As doctors we have to perform to a high standard in many settings, whether this is leading a ward round, cardiac arrest, or operating. Our technical skills are important, and out mindset matters too. In this episode, Krystle and I discuss mental performance.
We talk about career transitions and how they relate to our own self identity, and discuss the need to be aware of what matters to you, and the need to let go of some things from the past. We talk about how strengths can also become a weakness, and that doing things at the extreme is probably not going to be good; ask whether this belief is serving you or harming you.
Mental performance starts with self awareness, and self awareness is a life long journey not something that you do once and then forget about it. Self awareness includes thoughts, feelings, as well as body sensations; the latter can be particularly useful indicators. When difficulties arise, we need to identify what we are afraid of, what's the worst that could happen, what's at stake, and what exactly the issues are (it may be a learning need or style as much as anything related to thinking); this needs to be done with no judgement, so we convert limiting thoughts into thoughts that serve us.
Visualisation is a really useful tool to prepare for the future; visualisation is not about magical thinking, it's about mentally preparing and planning for whatever you need to achieve. And mind is like a muscle, so the more you visualise, self-reflect, and reframe, the better it gets.
Krystle Kustanovich, an accredited mental performance coach is renowned for her transformative work with top athletes and high achievers. With a unique focus on the intricacies of the mental game, Krystle empowers individuals to conquer their inner barriers and unleash their full potential. Grounded in neuroscience, Krystle's approach offers practical techniques that drive tangible results, enabling clients to surpass limitations and achieve unparalleled success.
Our work seems to consist of one crisis after another. In this episode, Matt tells me about the importance of identifying what's urgent and what's important. This can be learnt, and asking others can be a useful way to develop this prioritisation skill. Checklists have a place too, as long as we don't forget the importance of human interaction. Regular stress and pressure also means that looking after ourselves is important, and we need to dedicate time to strategic and long term thinking as well as to today's emergency.
Matt Morgan is a Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine, adjunct Clinical Professor and regular BMJ columnist. He has contributed to >50 scientific articles following his PhD in artificial intelligence including the NEJM, Lancet and JAMA. After appearing on television and radio, he gave the 2023 Woodridge Lecture and was nominated for the Royal Society’s David Attenborough prize for public engagement. His first book CRITICAL tells remarkable stories of patients in the intensive care unit. His second book, ONE MEDICINE, explores how understanding animals can help treat human disease. His third book will look at the lives of patients after surviving a cardiac arrest. His is a member of the BMJ Commission on the Future of the NHS and is the medical advisor for The National Theatre’ in London’s production of "Nye", the story of Aneurin Bevan. He lives in Cardiff with his family. You can find him on LinkedIn and Twitter @dr_mattmorgan and Instagram @dr_mattmorgan.
What is emotional intelligence and how do you develop it? Tracy tells me that emotional intelligence is about how you relate to yourself and to others. We all have a tendency for events to lead to emotions without us pausing and considering what is going on, so the key is to actually slow down the move from event to emotion and examine the thoughts that are determining how we feel. Once we recognise the thoughts as well as emotions at play, we can then make choices based on how we really want to be, instead of doing things that we later regret. Better emotional intelligence makes us happier in the long term, and it also improves workplace interactions with colleagues.
Tracy L Davis, MD PhD is mid-career dermatopathologist and anatomic pathologist in the southwest U.S., currently working in companion diagnostics in the pharmaceutical industry at Roche. Her career has also spanned hospital practice, academic medicine, and private practice. Outside of medicine, she is also a speaker and certified life coach who is passionate about Happiness Studies. She is the author of the weekly newsletter, The Happy Physician: A Practical Guide. She helps physicians who want more out of life, despite seeming to “have-it-all”, to create the life they dream of, so that they can achieve greater happiness and live their best life.
Ranj tells me that General Practice in an exciting specialty with wide variety of conditions and interactions. Good communication skills and teamwork are important, as is an ability to manage uncertainty. We discuss the many different ways that GPs can work, including portfolio careers. I love the way his Practice has created structures that enable staff to connect and get support from each other.
Dr Ranj Sagoo is a UK trained and GMC licenced doctor of over 15 years’ experience. He gained his medical degree (MBCHB) at Leicester University in 2006 after which he trained in Orthopaedics and Surgery before becoming a GP in 2013 obtaining Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP).
Early in his GP career he developed an interest in Dermatology and completed the Cardiff Diploma of Practical Dermatology, followed by the Cardiff Certificate in Dermoscopy. Combining this with his surgical skills Dr Ranj developed an expertise in diagnosing and managing chronic skin conditions, diagnosing skin lesions and performing skin surgery.
As he progressed in his career Dr Ranj felt that there was so much more that we can do to help people not only manage their health problems but prevent them from occurring. Dr Ranj has a firm belief that we are in control of our health and those people that struggle with their health have the power within them to regain that control. We are not destined to develop certain conditions because they are in the family, nor should people feel restricted by their health problems as they are very reversible.
Dr Ranj began to look at health as a complex interaction of multiple contexts of life. Core to his belief is seeing the person as a whole and not the illness that they present with. Developing a deeper understanding of the person, their values, purpose and their circumstances, holds the key to helping them with their health problems.
He began to explore the psychology of health behaviour and the drivers of motivation to change. Dr Ranj developed an awareness of the need for a more holistic approach to health and wellbeing. He developed a fascination with lifestyle and nutritional approaches to health and wellbeing. He has since become certified in counselling, a Professional Coach and NLP Practitioner accredited by the Association of Professional Coaches (APC) and European Association of Neurolinguistic Programming (EANLP). Dr Ranj has also achieved the Level 3 Award for Nutritional Intervention in Exercise, Wellbeing and Weight Management with the Association for Nutrition (AfN) and completed the Diploma of Lifestyle Medicine with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine (BSLM) and is a Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician.
With his Health & Wellbeing programs, Dr Ranj helps clients achieve their health goals by bringing together his wealth of knowledge in conventional, nutritional and lifestyle medicine. Using his skills in counselling, coaching and NLP he helps clients make deep discovery, find alignment with their values and make sustainable life-long change. A true journey to creating a healthier and happier life, not only for the client but their family and loved ones through transferable learning.
Outside of medicine, Dr Ranj is an Award-winning Fine Art wildlife artist, having won the 2022 BritishContemporary.Art ‘Artist of the Year’ award. He is also keen on sports and fitness and enjoys playing football, tennis, and kickboxing. As well as this Dr Ranj enjoys travelling and exploring different cultures and cuisines with his family.
This episode is a recording of my appearance on Funke's Thriving in the NHS huddle, where we discussed career tips for IMGs.
Ibifunke Pegba-Otemolu is a Higher Surgical Trainee in the East of Scotland deanery. She runs Thriving in the NHS an organisation that provides resources to support International Medical Graduates in the UK to thrive in their lives and careers. You can find her work at www.thrivinginthenhs.co.uk .
Production: Shot by Polachek
What do we know about the F1 career transition? With Wen Wang. Episode 75
Starting work as a doctor is a challenging time. Wen has researched this period, and in this episode she tells me that many of the challenges revolve around uncertainty. Senior doctors can help new doctors successfully enter the world of work, and new doctors can themselves create change for themselves and for others. New doctors are the senior leaders of the future, and can start influencing culture right from today onwards.
Dr Wen Wang is an Associate Professor in Human Resource Managment (HRM) at the University of Leicester. I am a researcher who explores inclusive and fair people management at workplace by utilising innovative dataset. My mission is to disseminate good HRM practices of our time to bring the best out of employees to achieve goals of the organisation and individuals. My work on the employment experience of NHS staff was included in two UK Parliament policy documents in 2022. The trainee doctors' retention project in the talk has produced numerous free materials and digital resources to support doctors' career progression.
You can connect with her on LinkedIn and X @DrWenWang.
Production: Shot by Polachek
How to build better connections. With Mick Connors. Episode 74
Mick Connors and I discuss the importance of interpersonal connections at work. Our careers are busier than ever, but somewhere along the line we have lost the deep personal connections that we used to have with colleagues and patients too. Instead of focusing on the person in front of us, we are focused on processes, electronic systems, and targets. Technological advances are certainly useful, we just need to remember that human relationships matter too. The structures that fostered connections 20 years may not exist, and it is up to us to make sure that we continue to build these connections in the modern technological world. Approaching interaction with humility, respect, and patient focus helps, as does an open mindset focused on growth.
J Michael Connors is an experienced physician leader with a steadfast passion for elevating healthcare through the strategic execution of best practices, especially those rooted in relationship building. He has a proven track record of excelling in clinical, leadership, and financial realms of healthcare. He has specialized expertise in innovation, digital health, organizational structuring, and business acumen, all geared towards steering organizations towards a harmonious blend of financial growth and mission-driven success. You can connect with him on LinkedIn, and read about his ideas here and here.
Sarwar tells me that occupational medicine is a very varied specialty, which draws on a range of skills particularly problem solving, negotiation, and report writing. Much practice occurs outside the NHS, and the routes into the specialty include both NHS and training outside the NHS. It's one of the few areas of medicine where doctors get to spend 45 minutes or longer talking to a patient, and his career allows him to practice medicine whilst at the same time working with many different non-NHS contexts.
Sarwar Chowdhury has several years experience as an Occupational Health Physician (OHP) and is Medical Director for Medigold Health. He operates as a Senior Lead Occupational Health Physician for a Tertiary NHS trust as part of a wider MDT of Occupational clinicians. He has extensive experience with undertaking complex medical management referrals, pre-placement medicals, health surveillance, blood bourne virus (BBV) monitoring, treating clinician referrals, clinical governance and policy writing.
He has expertise in private Occupational Health for SME/businesses conducting high quality assessments including Management Case Conferences, Complex Management Referrals, Driver Medicals (Group 1 & 2 licences), Rail, Firefighter, Local Authorities, White Collar businesses, Biological Monitoring, Health Surveillance and Ill Health Retirement (range of industries including NHS). He acts as the Medical Review Officer (MRO) for verifying Drug and Alcohol Test and Screening results is involved with clinical governance and auditing of Rail Work as the Duty Rail Doctor covering a wide range of Train Operating companies and supervision/support of dozens of clinicians across the UK.
He practises as an AFOM - Associate of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine and is certified as an Office of Rail and Road Doctor (ORRDOC), FOM Tier 4 HAVS approved, HSE appointed in Asbestos & Ionising Radiation.
He is close to completing a prospective CESR route training (4th Year) for Accredited Specialist status in Occupational Medicine as a Consultant Occupational Health Physician. This involves also completing his MSc in Occupational Medicine at Manchester University and currently holds AdvDipOccMed status after 2 years of the course.
He co-founded and runs the Occupational Health Academy demonstrating entrepreneurship to create a brand and website, leadership in co-running the course, teaching skills with delivering courses in medical education in Occupational Medicine for the Diploma of Occupational Medicine (DOccMed) exam & MFOM Part 1.
Aside from his work, he volunteers as the CESR 'training' Representative for the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM), guiding and liaising with Occupational Health Physicians seeking to gain MFOM (ad eundem) outside of the traditional CCT route.
All of us change over time, and the choices we made and how we worked in our twenties may no longer suit. In this episode, Denise tells me that it's not unusual to look for alterations in our working lives, and this may be small moves or radical ones. Having a really clear understanding of what matters to you is important, and sometimes really good hints come from exploring childhood experiences. Change requires networking, but the ideal job might not exist, you might have to create it yourself. Making a decision about how much money you and your family need is important too, and radical moves are best done from a position of strength.
Denise Taylor is a chartered psychologist, with an MBA, and her doctorate (gained at 64) investigated retirement transitions. It’s not just about the qualifications, Denise is noted as being creative, visionary, and fun to work with. She loves to gather new information and resources to best serve her clients. She is a coach specialising in senior-level career transitions, mid-career reinvention, and retirement transitions. She loves the outdoors, wild camping, and bushcraft. You can find he at https://www.amazingpeople.co.uk/ and on LinkedIn.
Most women doctors have experienced sexism at work, and face adversity ranging from micro aggression to sexual assault. What can we do about it? Chelcie Jewitt from Surviving in Scrubs tells me that changing the whole medical culture won't happen overnight, but there are small steps that each one of us can take. When witnessing discrimination, the least that bystanders can do is to acknowledge the event to the person on the receiving end, but it is important to let the person affected decide what should happen next. Speaking up and listening to what other's say is a key step, as is having an open mind and seeing things from the other's point of view.
Dr Chelcie Jewitt is an Emergency Medicine registrar, and co-founder of Surviving in Scrubs. You can connect with her on LinkedIn, and learn more about her work at https://www.survivinginscrubs.co.uk/.
Many doctors assume that career decisions are a one-off event, but the reality is that many of us make one decision after another. Over time, our environments change, and we also change. Career management means paying attention to what is going in in our careers and in ourselves, and repeatedly adjusting to create the success and meaning that gives career satisfaction.
Spanning three decades, Will Mangar has worked as a family physician in general practice within the UK National Health Service. He has spent many of these years leading organisations within primary care. He has a special interest in men’s psychological health and wellbeing, and specifically with principles of meaningful purpose and its relationship with personal fulfilment and happiness in life. He devotes his professional time to his practice and raising awareness of men's mental health with the perspective of meaningful purpose through speaking, writing and broadcasting. You can find him on LinkedIn.
International medical graduates form a large proportion of our workforce, with many working in SAS (specialty and specialist) or locally-employed roles. In this episode, Nitin and I discuss the challenges faced by international medical graduates, we talk about racism, and he tells me about the importance of nationally agreed contracts. All of us need to be open to diversity, and be aware of the prejudices and assumptions that we all inevitably hold. Talent doesn't come with a British accent! A number of national initiative are taking place to better support international medical graduates and SAS and locally-employed doctors, and each one of us can also look at what we can do in our immediate environment. The charter for locally-employed doctors in the UK NHS can be accesses here.
Nitin Shrotri is a Consultant Urologist, who was awarded the BAUS Gold Medal for 2022, and has recently been appointed as Visiting Professor at the Institute of Medicine at the University of Bolton and also as Vice Chair at the Centre for Race Equality in Medicine. Before this he was BMA UK Council member between 2020-22 and a member of the GMC BME Forum last year. You can connect with Nitin on LinkedIn, and read his writings at nitinshrotri.com.